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Chemistry

Ligand Tuning of Redox Potential in Metalloproteins

Quick fact

Changing a single amino acid ligand in a metalloprotein can shift its redox potential by up to several hundred millivolts, dramatically altering its biological function.

Why this is interesting

Why can the same iron atom in two different proteins have redox potentials that differ by over a volt, making one a strong electron donor and the other a strong oxidant? The answer lies in the protein's choice of ligands surrounding the metal.